Container



Aug. 1, 1967 N. BUCHNER 3,333,758

CONTAINER Filed June 21, 1965 Fl G 4 INVENTOR.

NORBERT BUCHNER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,333,758 CONTAINERNorbert Bnchner, Hegnach, Waiblingen, Germany, as-

signor to Firma Fr. Hesser Maschinenfabrik A.G., Stuttgart-BadConnstatt, Germany, a corporation Filed June 21, 1965, Ser. No. 465,307

Claims priority, application Germany, June 23, 1964,

8 Claims. (Cl. 22917) The invention relates generally to a liquidshipping and dispensing container of thermoplastic coated paperboard, orthe like, and, more particularly, to an improved closure flaparrangement thereof.

In the prior art containers of this type are fabricated from apaperboard blank which is formed into a tubular container by securelyjoining overlapping coated edges of the wall panels. The bottom isclosed in a similar manner. The sealed edge is turned to lay flatagainst the bottom and the projecting portions, or flaps, from the sidepanels are folded 180 to rest the same against the bottom of thecontainer. The top part of the container is also in most instancesformed in this manner. In order to keep the flaps positioned against thebottom of the container, to avoid damage during shipping and otherhandling thereof, it is necessary to secure the same in a suitablemanner. This is frequently accomplished by providing a small adhesivesurface area. Alternatively, it has been proposed that the containerblank be coated inside and outside and the overlapping flap adhesivelysecured to either the folded seam or directly to the bottom closureflap.

The containers of the type above described however have a number ofshortcomings. The necessity of gluing the excess flap to the maincontainer body necessitates machinery to perform this step. On the otherhand, coating the container on both sides to avoid the foregoingappreciably increases the cost of the containers.

The container in accordance with this invention, avoids thesedisadvantages, by constructing the panels and connecting end flaps insuch a manner that the edges thereof vary in width and extend relativeto each other in overlapping relationship. The resulting sealed edge isflattened and the corner flap portions turned inward whereby the exposedcoated surface of one of the edges is adapted to establish contact withanother exposed and coated edge of the corner flap to facilitate weldingthe corner flap to the sealed edge.

The time required for fusing the coated parts together depends primarilyupon the rate of heat penetration through the paper or cardboard. As theheat has to penetrate only through one layer of paper to effect fusing,as compared to the multiple layers as known in the prior art, it ispossible to achieve an increase in packaging out- 1.11..

P Therefore the primary object of this invention is to provide acontainer of simplified construction.

A further object of this invention is to provide a container whichpermits a more rapid machine closing of the end openings thereof.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a containerformed of a blank which is thermoplastically coated on one side only andrequires no additional application of glue, or the like, for the closingof the end openings.

Another object of this invention is to provide a container of the typeas above described and in which one of the flaps of the top opening isuniquely adapted for dispensing the fill goods.

An aspect of the present invention resides in the provision of acontainer adapted for fluids which has a tube-like 3,333,758 PatentedAug. 1, 1967 configuration and the inside thereof is coated with athermoplastic substance. The container is formed with front and backmarginal edges of unequal width which are adapted to be disposed insealed overlapping engagement to form a seam and foldable to bear flatagainst an end portion of the container, such as the front end flap,with portions of the wider marginal edge exposing a thermoplastic coatedsurface facing away from this end portion. The corner flaps have anexposed portion which is also thermoplastically coated and faces theexposed coated surface of the wider marginal edge and is foldable forbringing into sealing contact the said exposed portion and the exposedmarginal edge.

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with otherand further objects thereof, reference is had to the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and itsscope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of a blank, including fold lines, for forming acontainer in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top portion of thecontainer;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the container with apartly formed dispenser opening; and

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the container with thedispenser opening in usable form.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a suitably cut blank 10composed of paperboard, thin carton, paper or the like. One side of theblank is coated with a thermoplastic material such as, for instance,polyethylene or polyvinylchloride. The blank is divided by fold linesinto a number of sections including front and back panels 12 and sidepanels 14. The blank 10 is formed into a tubelike container shell ofrectangular cross-section by folding the panels 12 and 14 about foldline16, then bringing the marginal edges 18 into overlapping engagement sothat the thermoplastic coated surfaces thereof are face to face. Thesurfaces of edges 18 are fused together forming a longitudinallyextending seam and are bent to rest against one of the panels 12, as isshown in FIGURES 2 to 4.

Contiguous to and integrally constructed with panels 12 and 14 are atthe top end of the container closure flaps 20, 22, 24 and 26 and at theopposite end thereof bottom flaps 20', 22', 24' and 26'. The width ofthe closure flaps, and more particularly of the marginal edge thereof asmeasured from foldline 28, is varied in stepwise fashion. Each equalwidth marginal edge of the closure flaps, see 30 and 32, spans adistance substantially from one center of a side panel to the center ofthe opposite side panel. The width of top marginal edges 30 and 32 isthe same as the width of marginal edges 30' and 32, respectively, thelocation of the edges being in reversed order.

The bottom of the container is closed in the conventional manner. Thebottom end is laid fiat to bring into cont-act the coated surfaces ofedges 30 and 32' which are thereafter suitably sealed together and themain portions of closure flaps 22' and 26' are folded in place aboutbottom foldline 21. The resulting seam is then folded in such a mannerthat the edge 32' will rest against the flap portion 22'. In thisposition, that surface portion of the coated edge 32' which is notcovered by edge 30' faces upwardly although both edges 30 and 32' pointaway from the container.

The folding of flaps 22' and 26' and the sealing together of marginaledges 30' and 32' leaves the two corner flaps 20 and 24 in an uprightposition. Each corner flap is folded to bring the same to bear againstthe closure flaps of the front and back panels. More particularly, thecoated edge portion 32', which forms part of corner flaps 20' and 24',is thereby brought into contact with the coated edge portion 32' whichalso forms part of panel 22. The engaging surface of 32', or partsthereof, are then fused together to complete the closure of the bottomend.

Upon filling the container, the top is closed in the same manner asabove described. A prime'mark has been atfixed to the numeralsidentifying the bottom closure parts. The corresponding top closureparts are identified in FIGURES 2 to 4 with the same numerals butwithout the distinguishing prime mark.

The blank and more particularly the flap portions for the top closureare formed with two slits 36 and 37 located in the two corner foldlines16 of the side panel 14 at the terminal end of corner flap 24.

The container in accordance with this invention is adapted to beemployed as a gradual dispenser of the fill good and in order tofacilitate this purpose, the top closure can be converted to provide apouring spout 38, see FIGURE 4.

The spout 38 is formed by first lifting the corner flap 24, whichborders between slits 36 and 37, off the edge portion 32 at the point ofadhesive contact which is designated 40 in FIGURE 2, and thereafter byunfolding the flap 180 degrees to place same in the original positionwhich existed at the time of forming the seam between the marginal edges30 and 32. The sealing edge of corner flap 24 is taken hold of and tornin the direction of slits 36 and 37 along tear line 40a, 40b and 40c.The tear line 40b extends parallel to the foldline 28 meeting diagonallines 40a and 400 which define a 45 degree angle relative to foldline28.

After portions of the flap 24 have been separated to form the spout 38,the latter when viewed from the top takes on a trapezoid configurationand a triangular internal surface, thermoplastically coated, is visible,see FIGURE 4. By squeezing the corners 42 of flap 24 against the middle,the side panel 14 is pushed outward and flaps 22 and 26 slightly upwardthereby creating a substantially four cornered rhomboid-like spoutconfiguration. To facilitate a simple and clean foldout, one side panel14 is formed in the center thereof with a foldline 44 which extendsvertically up to the terminal edge of flap 24. It is possible of courseto utilize the above described spout arrangement in containers in whichthe corner flap is not sealed in the manner as above delineated.

While there have been described what are at present considered to be thepreferred embodiments of this invention, it will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be madetherein without departing from the invention, and it is, therefore,

aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modificationsas fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A shipping container adapted for fluids, comprising: a closed cartonof tube-like configuration, the inside thereof coated with athermoplastic substance, including front and back marginal edges ofunequal width adapted to be disposed in sealed overlapping engagement toform a seamand foldable to bear fiat against an end portion of saidcarton with portions of the wider marginal edge exposing a thermoplasticcoated surface facing away from said end portion, and corner flapshaving an exposed portion thermoplastically coated facing the exposedcoated surface of the wider marginal edge and foldable for bringing intosealing contact said exposed portion and the exposed marginal edge.

2. A shipping container according to claim 1, wherein said end portionis composed of end closure flaps and said exposed portion and saidexposed marginal edge constitute an integral part thereof.

3. A shipping container according to claim 2, wherein said cartonincludes front and back panels and said closure flaps are integrallyconnected therewith, and the exposed marginal edge extends substantiallythe transverse length of one of said panels.

4. A shipping container adapted for fluids, comprising: a carton ofsubstantially rectangular cross-sectional configuration, the insidethereof coated with a thermoplastic substance, said carton includingside, front and back panels and end closure, including corner flaps,extending from said panels and integrally connected therewith, saidflaps being formed with one marginal edge of greater width than a secondmarginal edge thereof, the transverse length of one marginal edgeextending from one center of the side panel to the other center of theopposite side panel, the marginal edges being adapted to be disposed insealed overlapping engagement and foldable to bear flat against the endclosure flaps, with portions of the wider marginal edge exposing athermoplastic coated surface facing away from said end closure flap,said corner flaps and the exposed marginal edge thereof being foldablefor bringing into sealing contact the coated marginal edge of the cornerflap and the contiguous portion of the marginal edge extending betweenthe side panels.

5. A shipping container according to claim 1, wherein said carton iscomposed of side, back and front panels and said marginal edges areintegrally connected to the panels, said marginal edges having twoslit-s extending in a direction perpendicular to the lengthwisedirection of the edges and slightly into said seam formed by said edges.

6. A shipping container according to claim 5, wherein each of said slitsis located at one upper transverse end of a single side panel, and oneof said corner flaps is provided with a transversely extending fold lineand two diagonally extending fold lines connecting at opposite ends withsaid first mentioned fold line and terminating at the upper ends of thecorner flap at a point each vertically in line with but spaced from oneof said slits.

7. A shipping container according to claim 6, wherein the last mentionedside panel is provided in the upper portion thereof with a verticallyextending centrally located fold line.

8. A shipping container adapted for fluids comprising: a carton ofrectangular cross-sectional configuration formed of side, back and frontpanels and closure flaps including corner flaps at each end thereof withfold lines arranged therebetween, the fold lines defining the edges ofone of the corner flaps each terminating in a slit extending to themarginal edge in line with its respective fold line, said last mentionedcorner flap also having a first medial tear line extending perpendicularto and between the adjacent fold lines, and second and third tear linesconnecting at opposite ends to said first tear line and extendingangularly outwardly therefrom and each terminating at the junction of apanel and a flap fold line at a point spaced from but in line with oneof said slits.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,339,156 1/ 1944 Davis 229-172,470,789 5/ 1949 Palmer 229-17 2,982,461 5/1961 Hultin 229-14 3,083,8904/ 1963 Ignell 229-17 3,190,531 6/1965 Holmstrom 229-14 3,232,514 2/1966 Swede et al. 229-17 3,240,416 3/ 1966 Deegan 229-17 JOSEPH R.LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Examiner.

8. A SHIPPING CONTAINER ADAPTED FOR FLUIDS COMPRISING: A CARTON OFRECTANGULAR CROSS-SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION FORMED OF SIDE, BACK AND FRONTPANELS AND CLOSURE FLAPS INCLUDING CORNER FLAPS AT EACH END THEREOF WITHFOLD LINES ARRANGED THEREBETWEEN, THE FOLD LINES DEFINING THE EDGES OFONE OF THE CORNER FLAPS EACH TERMINATING IN A SLIT EXTENDING TO THEMARGINAL EDGE IN LINE WITH ITS RESPECTIVE FOLD LINE, SAID LAST MENTIONEDCORNER FLAP ALSO HAVING A FIRST MEDIAL TEAR LINE EXTENDING PERPENDICULARTO AND BETWEEN THE ADJACENT FOLD LINES, AND SECOND AND THRID TEAR LINESCONNECTING AT OPPOSITE ENDS TO SAID FIRST TEAR LINE AND EXTENDINGANGULARLY OUTWARDLY THEREFROM AND EACH TERMINATING AT THE JUNCTION OF APANEL AND A FLAP FOLD LINE AT A POINT SPACED FROM BUT IN LINE WITH ONEOF SAID SLITS.